Ten moments to savor

By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

For every team boasting an unbeaten season, there is a winless one two towns away. For each All-Scholastic athlete, there are a dozen others, not equally talented, but working toward the same goal. Coaches teach and push, scream and plead, trying to turn children into champions. For some, the payoff is huge. Nothing can match the satisfaction enjoyed by a handful of teams and individuals this past fall. Selecting 10 worthy success stories from a season filled with hundreds of candidates isn’t easy. But here, in no particular order, are 10 we thought stood out.

1. Andover girls ‘‘make it seven’’

With the motto ‘‘Stairway to heaven, make it seven,’’ the Andover girls’ swim team did just that, winning their seventh straight state title. Led by Swimmer of the Year and Boston College-bound Caitlin Doherty, Andover handled challenges from Acton-Boxboro and Chelmsford to win going away. Candice Peak and Kristi Korsberg joined Doherty in winning individual titles. For coach Marilyn Fitzgerald, the season always seems to end with a dip in the pool, courtesy of her girls. But this time she was prepared. ‘‘I packed some extra clothes.’’

2. Barnstable goes by the numbers

The season started in the 50s. It ended with No. 74, which by the way, was also No. 3. When you’re the Barnstable girls’ volleyball team, success comes in a number of ways. The Red Raiders won 24 straight matches this fall on the way to winning their third straight Division 1 state championship. The final win, a 3-0 victory over Andover, made it 74 straight wins. ‘‘They’re an excellent team and an excellent bunch of kids,’’ said coach Tom Turco. And he has the numbers to back it up.

3. City of Champions adds one more

As any team with the nickname Boxers knows, defending a title can be a lot harder than winning the first one. But that’s exactly what the Brockton football team did this fall, beating Xaverian last weekend to win its second straight Division 1 EMass Super Bowl title. The win was a state best 23rd straight for Brockton. When it was over, coach Peter Colombo knew where the credit belonged. ‘‘The defense has been the heart and soul of this team all season,’’ said Colombo. ‘‘They sustained us all season and they came up big again today.’’

4. No doubt that Bay State is best

Was it us or did it just seem like every Bay State Conference girls’ soccer team was playing for a sectional title? Newton North, Framingham, Dedham, Wellesley, Braintree, the list could go on. But in the end it was Braintree that won a Division 1 crown, beating Minnechaug, 3-2, while Dedham settled for runner-up after falling to Nipmuc in Division 2. It was no surprise that the conference dominated the soccer scene. Braintree’s Amy Caldwell, Dedham’s Sydney Stoll, and Framingham’s Shaunna Kaplan were all among the EMass scoring leaders. The best teams. The best players. The Bay State Conference.

5. Dedham wins led Kelley, Kelly, and Kelley

Whether it was Katie Kelly’s offense, Kathryn Kelley’s goaltending, or Kara Kelley’s field presence, Dedham always seemed to have a Kelly (or Kelley) for any situation. And when you add in Player of the Year Nicole Murphy it’s no wonder the Marauders went 21-1-1 and beat Quaboag for the Division 2 state title. ‘‘She loves to be in the limelight,’’ said Dedham coach Frank Barbuto of Katie Kelly and her goal and two assists in the state final. ‘‘She loves to be in games like these.’’ That goes for every Kelly, no matter how you spell it.

6. Fresh approach wins in cross-country

When she crossed the finish line first at the Division 2 Eastern Massachusetts championships, spectators asked, ‘‘who’s that?’’ It’s safe to say, no one will ever ask that again. Kirsten Kasper took the state by storm this fall, winning the EMass and state titles in her rookie season. Despite being a freshman, Kasper ran with the poise of a veteran. She was born in Ottawa and is the neice of former Boston Bruin Steve Kasper. And she can fly. ‘‘I said, ‘I did it last week, I can do it again’,.’’ Kasper said after her win in the state final. And chances are, she will again.

7. Luck of the Irish for Barry Gallup

Standing among classmates at Belmont Hill, Barry Gallup probably doesn’t look like the best football player in Massachusetts. The Gatorade Player of the Year goes about 6-foot, 180-pounds, dimensions more suited for a corporate office than a football field. But put pads on that frame and watch out. Gallup’s combination of speed and instincts explain why Notre Dame is happy he’ll be in South Bend next fall. He ran for more than 1,700 yards this season and caught passes worth another 500 yards as Belmont Hill finished unbeaten in the ISL. Next month he’ll represent Massachusetts in the US Army All-American Bowl.

8. Back to the City of Champions

Did we say just one title this fall? Make that two. The Brockton boys’ cross-country team combined great depth with even greater speed to win the Division 1 state title. ‘‘Our captain, Jose Depina, put up on our bulletin board ... that our goal was to win as a team this year,’’ said coach John Barry. The Boxers did just that with four runners finishing in the top 25 led by junior Kevin Gill’s second-place effort. Of the top seven Brockton runners, only one was a senior, meaning the City of Champions may continue growing.

9. Three earn spot in 200-win Club

A prestigious club admitted three new members this fall when Natick’s Tom Lamb, Hopkinton’s Dave Hughes, and Austin Prep’s Bill Maradei all won their 200th career football games. Lamb was the first coach to join when his Redmen beat Wellesley, 28-13. Next up was Hughes, who hit the milestone by beating Westwood. And for Maradei, his 200th overall and 100th at Austin Prep, came in a win over his former school, Savio Prep, on Thanksgiving. ‘‘I think it’s unbelievable,’’ said Hughes. ‘‘Coaches just don’t stay long enough anymore, but there are always those few.’’

10. East Boston the fall guys

It started on the football field, which just happens to be the soccer field as well. Maybe it’s the field, tucked away inside Logan Airport? The East Boston football and boys’ soccer teams each enjoyed spectacular falls, with the football team winning the Boston North title and the soccer team doing the same and then beating West Roxbury for its second straight city championship. Senior running back Kevin Gilmore led the football team to a 10-0 regular season. The soccer team was led by one of the top defenders in the state in Yesid Ocampo. If you ever wondered what happened on the field in the airport it’s simple: winning.